How to enjoy the foods you love while still losing weight?
Many people go on a diet and believe with self-discipline they will be able to keep away from the foods they love and be restrained. Unfortunately restricting or depriving yourself of favorite foods is the beginning of the sabotage process that may ultimately bring your dieting undone.
Self-discipline is a short term solution to a long term challenge. It is an approach common in dieting and is the main reason that 95% of diets fail in the long term. Self-discipline deserts you just when you need it most. Have you noticed that when you restrict yourself of something you end up wanting it more? This is the foundation of binge eating.
A much more sustainable approach is to never say no to anything you love! It's ‘all in moderation’ because it depends on how much and how often you eat something that will determine how much ‘damage’ it will do to your goals.
Enjoying life’s tasty pleasures in a controlled fashion is as normal as drinking alcohol, making love or relaxing – when you are in control and not the habit they are the spice of life!
(Can you eat out while losing weight? Find the answer here!)
One cream donut, a scoop of chips or a chocolate bar does no harm on its own. It is the formation of habits when these ‘treats’ become regular that the calories really do add up.
So the key is 'hugging' these lovable foods every now and again (1/wk) in a measured amount, without them becoming a habit (more than 2/wk). Dr George Blair-West, the author of Weight Loss For Food Lovers, suggests the following:
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Identify what a high sacrifice food is for you. This is something you absolutely love not just like. You have an emotional attachment to it and could not give up long-term e.g. dark chocolate, blue cheese.
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Identify what a low sacrifice food is for you. This is something you quite like but could go without if you had to and would not crave for it e.g. crisps, meat pies.
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Record down which foods you are committing to have as a part of your normal diet – choosing to focus on when, why, how and how much you eat.
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Record down the foods you quite like but you know you would achieve your goals much faster without them and you will not crave for them.
Strategies to enjoy your high sacrifice foods while controlling quantity:
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Embrace them! Eat them slowly, lovingly, savor it, enjoy every mouthful
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Replace Guilt with satisfaction.
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Appreciate. Take time to notice the smell, texture, mouth feel, swallow feel, noise, etc
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Quality not quantity. Love cheese? Choose a couple of slices of creamy, dreamy brie. If wine’s your temptation, invest in smaller glasses, a lovely wine stopper and a top shelf bottle. Chocolate - choose something rich and decadent like a smooth creamy Lindt. Or for those pastry fans how about a gourmet sausage roll or freshly baked pan au chocolate?
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Make an occasion of it. Enjoy in a special setting
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Attention. Separate yourself from distractions and give yourself time to fully enjoy it.